Going through the meat grinder

Lose one and you’ll have to go through the meat grinder to snag a medal.

“You have to take the nice, winding road,” Sarasota wrestling coach Cezar Sharbono said Saturday after his wrestler, Tobias Baker, placed third in the 285-pound weight division in Class 3A.

North Port"s Dejuante Pabellon, right, battles Tirjo Batista of North Miami Beach during the consolation round of the Class 3A 195-pound weight class at the FHSAA Wrestling Finals on Saturday at The Lakeland Center. STAFF PHOTO DENNIS MAFFEZZOLI

Moments later across the mat at the Lakeland Center, where the FHSAA state wrestling tournament was held, North Port’sDejuante Pabellon finished in third place, too, claiming victory in the 195-pound weight division in 3A.

Baker and Pabellon had to wrestle six times each to earn bronze medals.

And though they didn’t get the gold, their hard-fought victories showcased their grit to keep pushing through when their backs were against the wall.

“I came back,” said Baker, a junior.

“And that was enough for me.”

Both lost their opening round matches, throwing them directly into the consolation bracket. To get to the third place match they had to go through three rounds of wrestlebacks, which could mentally and physically wear down any wrestler.

But neither would admit fatigue after their win.

“I could probably run a couple of miles if I wanted to,” Pabellon said, a big smile on his face and a dash of blue hair-dye across his head.

“I’m feeling a little banged up but the adrenaline is going through me right now,”’ Baker said. “It feels like there’s an animal inside of me.”

Baker beat Miami Palmetto’s Cornell Gilmore, 7-0, in his third place match, exacting revenge for his opening round loss to the same opponent.

After he won, he jumped into Sharbono’s arms like a little kid.

“What he did builds huge character,” Sharbono said. “That’s one of the things about wrestling – it teaches you how to be able to go to battle and win or lose bite the bullet because there’s no one in there to blame but yourself for the outcome.”

Like Baker, Pabellon, who beat East River’s Griffen Soderquist by injury default, didn’t get down on himself for losing his opener.

“I didn’t dwell on that opening loss,” Pabellon said. “I just took a breath and listened to my coaches who told me I could still get on that podium.”

He said he felt like he shouldn’t have lost that match but was nevertheless excited to put his bronze medal around his neck.

“I never gave up. I kept striving.”

Solange Reyner

Solange Reyner is the assistant sports editor at the Sarasota Herald Tribune. She can be reached at (941) 361-4861.

Last modified: February 16, 2013
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